Mountain Fire 80% Contained: USFS

A mountain fire smoldering in drought-stricken, bug-killed timber above Forest Falls in the San Gorgonio Wilderness was considered 80 percent contained as of Saturday morning.

The Momyer Fire, named for a nearby creek and trail, started May 8 and it remained active Saturday between 7,000 and 9,000 feet elevation. It was "creeping and smoldering in heavy down and dead materials" about three miles above the town of Forest Falls, according to a Forest Service update.

Burned acreage estimates remained around 150 acres. Fire commanders said full containment was expected by May 17. There were 110 personnel assigned to the fire Saturday morning. Three firefighters had sustained injuries, fire commanders said.

Factors firefighters have dealt with since Sunday include extremely steep, rocky terrain, and heavy timber fuels in an "extreme bug kill/drought kill area," according to the Forest Service.

"There is no recorded fire history up there," Pam Bierce of the San Bernardino National Forest said. "The last one in the area was in 1959 near Monkey Face Falls, further west down Mill Creek.

"That's why it's so dense and decadent, really thick," Bierce said. "There's an extreme amount of fuels."

The Momyer Fire was reported about 10:30 a.m. Sunday May 8, burning in a north by northeast direction, west of Alger Creek and north of the Momyer Creek Trail.

The fire perimeter was believed to border a recognized spotted owl nesting area, according to the Forest Service.

The Momyer Creek Trail and Vivian Creek Trail remained closed until further notice.

The cause of the fire was said to be "under investigation."

Scientists warned before devastating mountain fires in 2003 that drought and bark beetles had killed millions of trees in the San Bernardino National Forest, which straddles San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

More than a million dead trees have since been removed from mountain communities including Angelus Oaks, Forest Falls, Big Bear and Idyllwild.

But millions more dead trees remain standing and fallen in high mountain wilderness areas.